What cheeses me off

[RSD]

I got stopped by the Police in Sweden many years ago, my A.C.T., license that I still have was an old paper one folded over and reinforced with sticky tape.

He was incredulous. Is this it? he asked, I nodded, he said it was the most inferior license he had ever seen.

Ah good days, driving trucks with only a car license, not too concerned about anything, we were young.....

Nice!

You can still get away with a fair bit in Egypt as long as you look and sound convincing - but sadly not as much as we used to back then - which is probably a good thing as I don't think that I could still party until dawn and then go and teach scuba diving for the day Every Tuesday night was Dive Guide night at a big night club in town named Cha Cha's - the club opened at 8pm and closed just before Fajr salah (dawn prayer), and the nightclub was across the roof of four buildings. We had a deal with the dive boat captains that on Wednesday's we would go to the furthest reefs possible to give us time to recover a little, and in exchange on Saturdays we would go to the nearest reefs so as the crew could get home early to watch the Egyptian soccer matches live on TV. Win-Win for everyone.

Ah those were the days...

 

[RSD]

Nice!

You can still get away with a fair bit in Egypt as long as you look and sound convincing - but sadly not as much as we used to back then - which is probably a good thing as I don't think that I could still party until dawn and then go and teach scuba diving for the day Every Tuesday night was Dive Guide night at a big night club in town named Cha Cha's - the club opened at 8pm and closed just before Fajr salah (dawn prayer), and the nightclub was across the roof of four buildings. We had a deal with the dive boat captains that on Wednesday's we would go to the furthest reefs possible to give us time to recover a little, and in exchange on Saturdays we would go to the nearest reefs so as the crew could get home early to watch the Egyptian soccer matches live on TV. Win-Win for everyone.

Ah those were the days...

The dive centre I worked at was at the Intercontinental and the owner of the dive centre was a very rich Egyptian business man who made his money in amongst other things warship refurbishment / upgrades and on selling them. We used to refer to the owner as the Boss, he spent most of his time in Cairo but would come down for the odd weekend of diving and to spend time on his motor yacht which was in the Interconti's marina. The skipper was an ex-para from Wales and so the motor yacht became our after work debrief venue.

One evening the skipper informed us that we wouldn't be able to come onto the yacht for a few days as the Boss was coming down and would be meeting with some important guests. That was OK, we would just use the bar in the Interconti instead. A couple of days later we were in the bar after work when the boss bought in his guests - which included a couple of characters named Gaddafi and Arafat! We were promptly introduced to them by the boss - "This is my friend Diane from England, my friend RSD from Australia etc..." We actually had a pretty lively conversation - this was before the days of the internet and being from a small town in Tasmania I had no idea who they were!

 

[prozac]

The dive centre I worked at was at the Intercontinental and the owner of the dive centre was a very rich Egyptian business man who made his money in amongst other things warship refurbishment / upgrades and on selling them. We used to refer to the owner as the Boss, he spent most of his time in Cairo but would come down for the odd weekend of diving and to spend time on his motor yacht which was in the Interconti's marina. The skipper was an ex-para from Wales and so the motor yacht became our after work debrief venue.

One evening the skipper informed us that we wouldn't be able to come onto the yacht for a few days as the Boss was coming down and would be meeting with some important guests. That was OK, we would just use the bar in the Interconti instead. A couple of days later we were in the bar after work when the boss bought in his guests - which included a couple of characters named Gaddafi and Arafat! We were promptly introduced to them by the boss - "This is my friend Diane from England, my friend RSD from Australia etc..." We actually had a pretty lively conversation - this was before the days of the internet and being from a small town in Tasmania I had no idea who they were!

Wow, best I've managed is Col. Sitiveni Rabuka in a little cafe in Savusavu.

 

[RSD]

Wow, best I've managed is Col. Sitiveni Rabuka in a little cafe in Savusavu.

Another rogue leader!

 

[drron]

I talked to Sitiveni a few times. He was staying in the Suite above ours at the Sheraton Denarua after the first cup. Met him again after the second coup..

Also met PM Qarase after yet another coup. He came over and thanked me as I helped serve his bodyguard at the Sheraton buffet. At hard to keep a hand on your Uzi, hold a plate and serve yourself. The PM introduced himself as Mr Qarase though many people call me crazy..

Though Sitiveni has ben PM twice since his coup days and is the present PM. Hardly a rogue leader.

 

[JohnM]

Another rogue leader!

But who was Diane?

 

[RSD]

But who was Diane?

2IC of the dive centre.

 

[JohnM]

2IC of the dive centre.

Oh, is that all?

 

[RooFlyer]

Today's cheese. Hotels where you leave something behind, they find it, they log it, and have it, but they don't let you know.

I was in Novotel Barcelona for 3 days (Plat), went away for 2 days, came back and then realised I was missing a charging cord. Yeah, I know.

Went to front desk - oh, yes, we have it, I'll send it to your room.

I got 4 e-mails from this lot covering my last stay. They couldn't e-mail me saying they have the cable, available only for pick-up?

 

[Pushka]

WCMO. Getting travel insurance quotes when you have to get cover for pre existing. You have to punch in all your details (everything) , then list each issue, then get your quote. Can't just put in gender, age and condition and get the $. And then ones where you decide to later purchase so click on the email you requested for the quote, and click the link and all the details are gone.

Travel Insurance policies that put in tricky and unique exclusions or additions that you may not catch. The latest - a policy that asks where you spend more than half your trip visiting - all of Europe counts as a country. Done. So you get your price. Good price. Will buy. And did. Then you see this tiny * which you open and if you spend more than 20% of your trip in USA or Africa then that is the country you must select. Rang up and they did the calculations (going to Morocco). Too many days there, (by 2 days in a 38 day trip) so policy needs to be cancelled (full refund). Re price it, and it's almost double. . I did not buy. Because BUPA just allows you to nominate all countries visited, insert Morocco etc and policy is half the price. Buy.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Today's cheese. Hotels where you leave something behind, they find it, they log it, and have it, but they don't let you know.

I was in Novotel Barcelona for 3 days (Plat), went away for 2 days, came back and then realised I was missing a charging cord. Yeah, I know.

Went to front desk - oh, yes, we have it, I'll send it to your room.

I got 4 e-mails from this lot covering my last stay. They couldn't e-mail me saying they have the cable, available only for pick-up?

An oldie but a goodie from me on this one… (i’ve told the story before but it’s relevant…)

Many years ago when Cathay had ultra cheap business class fares from ICN i was starting my tickets there, and it would involve a same aircraft turn in seoul… so up on CX to finish one ticket, then flying back the same aircraft an hour later as the start of the next ticket.

So one day i’m flying up to Seoul, fairly empty cabin, just five or so pax. Staff are lovely, they are amazed i’ll be flying back with them. On disembarking they say ‘see you in half an hour’.

Get into the terminal, clear security, back at the gate… realise I’ve left my glasses on board!

No worries, will get them off the crew.

Get on board… ‘welcome back MEL-T, so good to have you with us again, here’s your glass of champagne’

‘oh, i left my glasses here!’

‘oh yes MEL-T, we found them and handed them to the ground staff, you’ll be able to claim them from lost property [in seoul]’

‘’

 

[prozac]

WCMO. Getting travel insurance quotes when you have to get cover for pre existing. You have to punch in all your details (everything) , then list each issue, then get your quote. Can't just put in gender, age and condition and get the $. And then ones where you decide to later purchase so click on the email you requested for the quote, and click the link and all the details are gone.

Travel Insurance policies that put in tricky and unique exclusions or additions that you may not catch. The latest - a policy that asks where you spend more than half your trip visiting - all of Europe counts as a country. Done. So you get your price. Good price. Will buy. And did. Then you see this tiny * which you open and if you spend more than 20% of your trip in USA or Africa then that is the country you must select. Rang up and they did the calculations (going to Morocco). Too many days there, (by 2 days in a 38 day trip) so policy needs to be cancelled (full refund). Re price it, and it's almost double. . I did not buy. Because BUPA just allows you to nominate all countries visited, insert Morocco etc and policy is half the price. Buy.

Strongly advise HI in Morocco. MrsP was doing Spain and Morocco. Got a tummy bug in Morocco that meant she could not spend a night camping in the desert and instead needed to stay in one place for a while so 'uncoupled' from the tour. To regain the itinerary meant a day in a taxi. Covermore covered everything.

 

[Pushka]

Strongly advise HI in Morocco. MrsP was doing Spain and Morocco. Got a tummy bug in Morocco that meant she could not spend a night camping in the desert and instead needed to stay in one place for a while so 'uncoupled' from the tour. To regain the itinerary meant a day in a taxi. Covermore covered everything.

Morocco has been specifically listed on the BUPA cover we did take out. They just didn’t discriminate based on time there like the first one did and charge accordingly.

“Morocco; Malta; Indonesia; All of Europe”

 

[Warks]

Today's cheese. Hotels where you leave something behind, they find it, they log it, and have it, but they don't let you know.

I was in Novotel Barcelona for 3 days (Plat), went away for 2 days, came back and then realised I was missing a charging cord. Yeah, I know.

Went to front desk - oh, yes, we have it, I'll send it to your room.

I got 4 e-mails from this lot covering my last stay. They couldn't e-mail me saying they have the cable, available only for pick-up?

Exactly this. I've left stuff behind at leading brand hotels, right down to country motels and I'm pretty sure they have never once contacted me. I thought giving your mobile and email address on checking in might have come in handy in case something was left behind. But not even once. Like you, I've gone back and they've gone "yes we have it here!" after sending me a "thanks for staying" email and yet another customer satisfaction survey.

 

[MARTINE]

Exactly this. I've left stuff behind at leading brand hotels, right down to country motels and I'm pretty sure they have never once contacted me. I thought giving your mobile and email address on checking in might have come in handy in case something was left behind. But not even once. Like you, I've gone back and they've gone "yes we have it here!" after sending me a "thanks for staying" email and yet another customer satisfaction survey.

I have had the reverse - left cough in a shopping bag as the bin was overflowing (and labelled for the cleaner to discard) only to be told they have saved my shoes /some item of clothing and they would be happy to mail it to me

 

[VPS]

I have had the reverse - left cough in a shopping bag as the bin was overflowing (and labelled for the cleaner to discard) only to be told they have saved my shoes /some item of clothing and they would be happy to mail it to me

OMG I just left so much stuff behind at some hotels in London but I did warn the housekeeping staff that they could take whatever they liked and dump the rest. I know someone was very happy to have my pair of boots.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

WCMO - 7hr flight dep delays ex PVG